Neoplasm in the left lung. Malignant lung tumors

Lung tumors in many cases are not malignant, i.e. the diagnosis of lung cancer in the presence of a tumor is not always made. Often the lung tumor is benign.

Nodules and spots in the lungs can be seen on x-ray or computed tomography. They are dense small areas fabrics of round or oval shape surrounded by healthy lung tissue. There may be one or several nodules.

According to statistics, Lung tumors are most often benign if:

• The patient is under 40 years old;
• He does not smoke
• Calcium content was detected in the nodule;
• Small nodule.

Benign lung tumor appears as a result of abnormal tissue growth and can develop in various parts of the lungs. Determining whether a lung tumor is benign or malignant is very important. And this needs to be done as early as possible, because early detection and treatment of lung cancer significantly increases the likelihood complete cure and, ultimately, patient survival.

Symptoms of a benign lung tumor

Benign nodules and tumors in the lungs are usually do not cause any symptoms. That is why it is almost always are diagnosed by chance during x-ray chest or computed tomography.

However, they can cause the following symptoms of the disease:

• Hoarseness;
• Continuous cough or coughing up blood;
• Dyspnea;
• A febrile state, especially if the disease is accompanied by pneumonia.

Our clinic has specialized specialists on this issue.

(1 specialist)

2. Causes of benign tumors

Reasons why appear benign tumors lungs, have been little studied. But in general they appear often after health problems such as:

Inflammatory processes caused by infection:

• Fungal infections– histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, aspergillosis;
• Tuberculosis
• Lung abscess
• Pneumonia

Inflammation not associated with infection:

• Rheumatoid arthritis;
• Wegener's granulomatosis;
• Sarcoidosis.
• Congenital pathologies, such as lung cyst and others.

3. Types of tumors

Here are some of the most common types of benign lung tumors:

• Hamartomas. Hamartomas are the most common type of benign lung tumor and one of the common reasons formation of single pulmonary nodules. This type of lung tumor is formed from the tissues of the lining of the lungs, as well as fatty and cartilage tissue. As a rule, hamartoma is located on the periphery of the lungs.
• Bronchial adenoma. Bronchial adenoma accounts for about half of all benign lung tumors. It is a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from the mucous glands and ducts of the trachea or large respiratory tract lungs. Mucous adenoma is one example of a true benign bronchial adenoma.
• Rare neoplasms lungs may appear in the form chondroma, fibroma, lipoma– benign lung tumors consisting of connective or adipose tissue.

4. Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of benign lung tumors

In addition to X-ray examination and computed tomography for diagnosing lung tumors, which we have already discussed, diagnosing the patient’s health condition may include monitoring the dynamics of tumor development over several years. This practice is usually used if the size of the nodule does not exceed 6 mm and the patient is not at risk for lung cancer. If the nodule remains the same size, at least, two years old, it is considered benign. This is due to the fact that benign lung tumors grow slowly, if they grow at all. Cancerous tumors, on the other hand, double in size every four months. Further annual monitoring for at least five years will help to definitively confirm that the lung tumor is benign.

Benign lung nodules usually have smooth edges and a more uniform color throughout. They are more correct form than cancerous nodules. In most cases, to check the growth rate, shape and other characteristics of the tumor (for example, calcification), it is enough chest x-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan.

But it is possible that your doctor will prescribe other studies, especially if the tumor has changed in size, shape, or appearance. This is done to rule out lung cancer or determine the underlying cause of benign nodules.

For diagnosis you may need:

• Blood analysis;
• Tuberculin tests to diagnose tuberculosis;
• Positron emission tomography (PET);
• Single photo-irradiation CT (SPECT);
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, in rare cases);
• A biopsy is the removal of a tissue sample and further examination under a microscope to determine whether a lung tumor is benign or malignant.

A biopsy can be performed using various methods eg needle aspiration or bronchoscopy.

Treatment of benign lung tumors

In many cases specific treatment a benign lung tumor is not required. Nevertheless, removal of the tumor may be recommended in case if:

• You smoke and the knot has big size;
• appear unpleasant symptoms diseases;
• The examination results give reason to believe that the lung tumor is malignant;
• The nodule increases in size.

If surgery is required to treat a lung tumor, it is performed by a thoracic surgeon. Modern techniques and the qualifications of a thoracic surgeon make it possible to perform the operation with small incisions and reduce hospital stay. If the removed nodule was benign, further treatment will not be required unless the presence of a tumor is complicated by other problems, for example, pneumonia or obstruction.

Sometimes treatment requires more complex invasive surgery, during which a nodule or part of the lungs is removed. The doctor decides which surgery will be necessary, taking into account the location and type of tumor.

Benign tumors of the respiratory systems develop from cells that resemble healthy ones in their properties and composition. This species makes up only about 10% of total number such localization. Most often they are found in people under 35 years of age.

A benign neoplasm usually looks like a small round or oval nodule. Despite the similarity with healthy tissues, modern methods diagnostics allow you to very quickly find the difference in structure.

If the tumor does not lead to disruption of the bronchi, then practically no sputum is produced. The larger it is, the more serious the cough begins.

In some cases it is found:

• rise in body temperature,
• the appearance of shortness of breath,
• chest pain.

An increase in body temperature is associated with a violation ventilation functions respiratory organs and when an infection is associated with the disease. Shortness of breath is mainly characteristic in situations where the lumen of the bronchi closes.

Even with a benign tumor, depending on its size, weakness, lack of appetite, and sometimes hemoptysis may appear. The patients themselves note that breathing becomes weaker and voice tremors appear.

Complications of the neoplasm

If the disease was not detected in time, then tendencies to the formation of infiltrates and growth may appear. In the worst case, blockage of the bronchial tube or the entire lung occurs.

Complications are:

• pneumonia,
• malignancy (acquisition of properties of a malignant tumor),
• bleeding,
• compression syndrome,
• pneumofibrosis,
• bronchiectasis.

Sometimes the tumors grow to such a size that they compress the vital important structures. This leads to disruptions in the functioning of the entire body.

Diagnostics

If a tumor in the respiratory tract is suspected, laboratory tests must be used. the first ones make it possible to identify elastic fibers and the cellular substrate.

The second method is aimed at identifying elements of education. It is carried out many times. Bronchoscopy allows you to make an accurate diagnosis.

Is also carried out X-ray examination. A benign formation appears on photographs as rounded shadows with clear, but not always even, contours.

The photo shows a benign lung tumor - hamartoma

For differential diagnosis it is carried out. It allows you to more accurately separate benign formations from peripheral cancer, vascular tumors and other problems.

Treatment of a benign tumor in the lung

Most often offered surgery tumors. The operation is carried out immediately after the problem is discovered. This allows you to avoid the occurrence of irreversible changes in the lung and prevent the possibility of transformation into a malignant formation.

For central localization they use laser methods, ultrasonic and electrosurgical instruments. The latter are the most popular in modern clinics.

If the disease is peripheral in nature, the following is carried out:

• (removal of a section of the lung),
• resection (removal of affected tissue),
• (removal of formation without observing oncological principles).

In the earliest stages, the tumor can be removed through a bronchoscope, but sometimes the consequence of such exposure is bleeding. If the changes are irreversible and affect the entire lung, then only pneumonectomy (removal of the affected organ) remains.

Traditional treatment

In order to alleviate the condition of a benign lung tumor, you can try traditional methods.

One of the most popular herbs is celandine. One spoon should be brewed in 200 ml of boiling water and placed in a steam bath for 15 minutes.

Then bring to the original volume. Take 100 ml twice a day.

Forecast

If therapeutic measures were carried out in a timely manner, then the recurrence of the appearance of formations is rare.

A little less favorable prognosis with carcinoid. With a moderately differentiated form, the five-year survival rate is 90%, and with a poorly differentiated form it is only 38%.

Video about a benign lung tumor:

The features of a benign tumor are that the body tissues are not destroyed and there are no metastases.

The peculiarities of a malignant tumor are that it grows into the tissues of the body, and metastases appear. More than 25% of situations when a local form of a malignant tumor is diagnosed, in 23% there are regional tumors, and in 56% there are distant metastases.

The peculiarity of a metastatic tumor is that it appears in different organs, but at the same time it goes to the lungs.

This article talks about the signs of identifying a lung tumor in a person. And also about the types of tumor stages and treatment methods.

Prevalence

Lung tumor is a fairly common disease among all pulmonary neoplasms. More than 25% of cases this type the disease leads to death. More than 32% of tumors in men are lung tumors, in women it is 25%. The approximate age of patients ranges from 40-65 years.

Lung tumors are classified into several types:

1. adenocarcinoma;
2. cancer that has small cells;
3. cancer with large cells;
4. cancer having flat cells and many other forms.

Depending on the location of the tumor, it can be:

1. central;
2. peripheral;
3. apical;
4. mediastinal;
5. miliary.

In direction of growth:

1. exobronchial;
2. endobronchial;
3. peribronchial.

The tumor also has the properties of developing without the appearance of metastases.

According to the stages of the disease, the tumor is:

• the first stage is a tumor that has small sizes bronchi, with no pleural invasion or metastases;
• second stage - the tumor is almost the same as in the first stage, but slightly larger, does not invade the pleura, but has single metastases;
• third stage - the tumor is even larger large sizes and already goes beyond the boundaries of the lung, the tumor can already grow into the chest or diaphragm, there is a very a large number of metastases;
• – the tumor spreads very quickly to many neighboring organs, has distant metastases. Most people get sick due to the abuse of carcinogenic substances that are found in tobacco smoke. Both men and women are equally at risk.

Smokers have a much higher incidence of lung tumors than people who do not smoke. According to statistics, the majority of patients are men. But in Lately the trend has changed a little because there are so many smoking women. In rare cases, lung tumors can be hereditary.

Signs of a lung tumor

Exists great amount theories of lung cancer development. The effect of nicotine on the human body contributes to the deposition of genetic abnormalities in cells. Because of this, the process of tumor growth begins, which is almost impossible to control, and the symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately. This means that DNA destruction begins, thereby stimulating tumor growth.

Detecting a lung tumor on an x-ray

The initial stage of a lung tumor begins to develop in the bronchi. The process then continues and develops in nearby parts of the lung. Over time, the tumor moves to other organs, giving rise to the liver, brain, bones and other organs.

Lung tumor symptoms

Lung tumors at an early stage are very difficult to detect due to their small size and similarity of symptoms to a number of other diseases. It could just be a cough or phlegm coming out when you cough. This period may last for many years.

Doctors usually begin to suspect the presence of cancer in people over 40 years of age. Special attention is given to smokers, as well as people working in hazardous industries who develop at least minimal symptoms.

Complaints

Basically, the most common complaint with bronchial lesions is cough, which accounts for 70% of calls, and 55% of cases where people complain of hemoptysis. The cough is mostly hacking, constant, and sputum is produced.

People with such complaints almost always experience shortness of breath, very often there is chest pain, about half of the cases. In this case, most likely the tumor extends into the pleura and it increases in size. When there is a load on the recurrent nerve, wheezing appears in the voice.

When the tumor grows and compresses the lymph nodes, symptoms such as:

• weakness in the upper and lower extremities;
• paresthesia if the lesion reaches the shoulder;
• Horner's syndrome;
• shortness of breath appears when the lesion has reached the phrenic nerve;
• body weight is lost;
• the appearance of itching on the skin;
• rapid development of dermatitis in older people.

Removal of lung tumors

A benign lung tumor, no matter what stage it is, must be removed if there are no contraindications to surgical treatment. The operations are performed by professional surgeons. The earlier a lung tumor is diagnosed and everything is done to remove it, the less the patient’s body suffers and the less dangerous are the complications that may arise subsequently.

It is almost always removed using economical bronchial resection. Tumors in a narrow area are removed near the bronchial wall and the defect is subsequently sutured.

When the process is already outdated and the tumor grows irreversibly in size, some part of the lung is removed. If, as the disease worsens, it is not possible to remove only part of the lung, in this situation it is best to completely remove the lung.

Surgery to remove a tumor on the lung

If peripheral lung oncology occurs, which is located in the tissues of the lung itself, removal is carried out using the enucleation method, i.e. in other words, by the peeling method.

Generally, benign tumors are treated by thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. If the tumor grows on a thin stalk, it can be removed endoscopically. But this option can cause unwanted bleeding and it is necessary to re-examine the lungs and bronchi.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis is a very difficult process because the tumor is very difficult to detect due to the fact that its symptoms are very similar to other diseases. For example, such as: tuberculosis, abscesses, pneumonia.

For this reason, most people are diagnosed with lung cancer already at late stages of its development.

At the very beginning of development, this disease does not manifest itself in any way. This is mainly why people do not undergo treatment on time. And detection can be either accidental or when typical symptoms. For timely detection of the disease, everyone is recommended to undergo at least once a year diagnostic examination lungs.

If a lung tumor is suspected, the following examinations are performed:

Thoracoscopy and tumor biopsy

Due to the fact that it is missing on this moment a universal examination method that fully determines the presence of a tumor in the body. That is why it is necessary to carry out all of the above procedures.

If it is still impossible to make a diagnosis, even after a complete examination of the body, in order to prevent the appearance of a tumor and increase its size, a diagnostic operation is necessary.

Treatment of lung tumor

For oncology treatment, three options are used, which can be used separately or together: treatment with surgery, treatment with radiotherapy and treatment with chemotherapy. But the main option that ensures restoration of health is an operation performed by surgeons.

Surgical intervention directly depends on the size benign neoplasm. And they will conclude this procedure V complete removal diseases. There may be a possibility that part of the lung will need to be removed. As a rule, surgical treatment is performed for non-small cell cancer, because small cell, due to its more aggressive effect on the body, it requires other methods of treatment (this could be radiotherapy).

Also, you should not have surgery if, firstly, there are some contraindications to surgical intervention. Secondly, the tumor began to spread to other organs.

In order to kill cancer cells, which very often still remain after surgery, courses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are given.

Radiotherapy is a kind of irradiation of a tumor that stops the development of cells or completely kills them. This treatment option is used for both small cell and non-small cell cancer. Radiotherapy is carried out with patients who have contraindications for its use or if it has spread to the lymph nodes. Very often, chemotherapy is used to make this process more effective.

Preparing for surgery

Chemotherapy. A process that is capable of stopping their development and preventing them from increasing in size, while preventing their reproduction. This treatment option is used for both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. This process is considered the most common and is constantly used in almost all oncology hospitals.

The only drawback is that with this process full recovery and a cure is almost impossible to achieve. But, despite everything, chemotherapy can prolong the life of an oncology patient for many years.

A good prevention for lung tumor treatment is the complete absence of cigarettes in a person’s life.

Carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm that affects the tissues of various organs and systems. Initially, a cancerous tumor forms from the epithelium, but then quickly grows into nearby membranes.

Lung carcinoma is an oncological disease in which the tumor is formed from the cells of the bronchial mucosa, alveoli or bronchial glands. Depending on the origin, there are two main types of neoplasms: pneumogenic and bronchogenic cancer. Due to the rather mild course at the initial stages of development, lung oncology differs late diagnosis and, as a result, a high percentage deaths, reaching 65-75% of total number sick.

Attention! Modern methods of therapy make it possible to successfully cure lung cancer in I-III stages diseases. For this purpose, cytostatics, radiation exposure, cytokine therapy and other medicinal and instrumental techniques are used.

At the same time, it is also necessary to distinguish cancerous tumors from benign ones. Often the need to carry out differential diagnosis of pathology leads to a delay in making an accurate diagnosis.

Characteristics of neoplasms

Symptoms for this disease can vary significantly. This depends both on the stage of tumor development and on its origin and location. There are several types of lung cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by slow development and a relatively non-aggressive course. Undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma develops faster and gives large metastases. The most malignant is small cell carcinoma. Its main danger is the erased flow and rapid growth. This form of oncology has the most unfavorable prognosis.

Unlike tuberculosis, which most often affects the lower lobes of the lungs, cancer in 65% of cases is localized in upper section respiratory organs. Only in 25% and 10% are carcinomas detected in the lower and middle segments. This arrangement of neoplasms in in this case is explained by active air exchange in the upper lobes of the lungs and the deposition of various carcinogenic particles, dust, chemicals, etc. on the alveolar tissue.

Lung carcinomas are classified depending on the severity of the disease symptoms and spread. There are three main phases in the development of pathology:

1. Biological phase. Includes the moment from the onset of tumor formation to the appearance of its first signs on a tomogram or radiograph.
2. Asymptomatic phase. At this stage, the neoplasm can be detected using instrumental diagnostics, however clinical symptoms the patient has not yet manifested it.
3. The clinical phase, during which the patient begins to be bothered by the first signs of pathology.

Attention! During the first two stages of tumor formation, the patient does not complain of poor health. During this period, it is possible to establish a diagnosis only during a preventive examination.

It is also necessary to distinguish between four main stages of development of the oncological process in the lungs:

1. Stage I: a single neoplasm does not exceed 30 mm in diameter, there are no metastases, the patient may only be bothered by an occasional cough.
2. Stage II: the tumor reaches 60 mm and can metastasize to the nearest lymph nodes. The patient complains about discomfort in the chest, slight shortness of breath, cough. In some cases due to inflammation lymph nodes low-grade fever is noted.
3. Stage III: the diameter of the tumor exceeds 60 mm, and tumor growth into the lumen of the main bronchus is possible. The patient experiences shortness of breath on exertion, chest pain, and a cough with bloody sputum.
4. Stage IV: carcinoma grows beyond the affected lung, into pathological process are involved various organs and distant lymph nodes.

The first symptoms of lung carcinoma

For some period of time, the pathology develops hidden. The patient does not experience any specific symptoms suggesting the presence of a tumor in the lungs. The development of carcinoma can occur many times faster in the presence of certain provoking factors:

• living in environmentally unfavorable areas;
• work in hazardous industries;
• poisoning by chemical vapors;
• smoking;
• genetic predisposition;
• past viral and bacterial infections.

Initially, the pathology manifests itself as inflammatory disease respiratory organs. In most cases, the patient is mistakenly diagnosed with bronchitis. The patient complains of a periodically occurring dry cough. Also, people in the early stages of lung cancer experience the following symptoms:

• fast fatiguability, drowsiness;
• decreased appetite;
• dry skin and mucous membranes;
• slight hyperthermia up to 37.2-37.5;
• hyperhidrosis;
• decreased performance, emotional instability;
• bad breath when exhaling.

Attention! The lung tissue itself does not have sensory endings. Therefore, with the development of cancer, the patient can be quite a long period do not experience pain.

Symptoms of lung carcinoma

In the early stages, it is often possible to stop the spread of the tumor using radical resection. However, due to the vagueness of the symptoms, it is possible to identify pathology at stages I-II in a fairly small percentage of cases.

Pronounced characteristic clinical manifestations Pathology can usually be detected when the process reaches the stage of metastasis. Manifestations of pathologies can be varied and depend on three main factors:

• clinical and anatomical form of carcinoma;
• the presence of metastases in distant organs and lymph nodes;
• disturbances in the functioning of the body caused by paraneoplastic syndromes.

IN pathological anatomy There are two types of tumors in the lungs: central and peripheral. Each of them has specific symptoms.

Central carcinoma is characterized by:

• wet, debilitating cough;
• discharge of sputum with inclusions of blood;
• severe shortness of breath;
• hyperthermia, fever and chills.

With peripheral oncology, the patient has:

• soreness in the chest area;
• dry non-productive cough;
• shortness of breath and wheezing in the chest;
• acute intoxication in case of carcinoma disintegration.

Attention! In the initial stages of the pathology, symptoms in the peripheral and central cancer lungs differ, but as oncology progresses, the manifestations of the disease become more and more similar.

Most early symptom with lung carcinoma - cough. It occurs due to irritation nerve endings bronchi and the formation of excess sputum. Initially, patients experience a dry cough that worsens with exercise. As the tumor grows, sputum appears, which is first mucous and then purulent and bloody in nature.

Shortness of breath occurs at fairly early stages and appears due to excess mucus in the respiratory tract. For the same reason, patients develop stridor - strained wheezing. During percussion, moist rales and squelching are heard in the lungs. As the tumor grows, if it blocks the lumen of the bronchus, shortness of breath is observed even at rest and quickly intensifies.

Pain syndrome occurs on late stages oncology when carcinoma grows into tissue bronchial tree or surrounding lung tissue. Also discomfort during breathing movements may bother the patient due to the addition of secondary infections to the disease.

Gradually, the growth of the tumor and the spread of metastases provoke compression of the esophagus, disruption of the integrity of the tissue of the ribs, vertebrae and sternum. In this case, the patient experiences pain in the chest and back, which is constant. stupid character. There may be difficulty swallowing, and a burning sensation may occur in the esophagus.

Lung oncology is most dangerous due to the rapid growth of metastases in large vessels and heart. This pathology leads to attacks of angina pectoris, intense cardiac shortness of breath, and impaired blood flow in the body. During examination, the patient has arrhythmia, tachycardia, and areas of ischemia are identified.

Paraneoplastic syndromes

Paraneoplastic syndrome is a manifestation of pathological effects on the body malignant neoplasm. It develops as a result of tumor growth and is manifested by various nonspecific reactions on the part of organs and systems.

Attention! In most cases similar manifestations diseases occur in patients at stages III-IV of carcinoma development. However, in children, elderly people and patients with poor health, paraneoplastic syndrome can occur at earlier stages of tumor formation.

Systemic syndromes

Systemic paraneoplastic syndromes are manifested by large-scale damage to the body, which affects various organs and systems. The most common manifestations of lung cancer are the following:

Attention! Systemic syndromes it is necessary to stop it carefully and urgently. IN otherwise they can sharply worsen the patient’s condition and lead to his death.

Video - Lung cancer: first symptoms

Skin syndromes

Skin lesions develop for several reasons. Most a common factor, causing the appearance various pathologies epidermis, is the toxic effect on the human body of malignant neoplasms and cytostatic drugs. It all weakens protective functions body and allows various fungi, bacteria and viruses to infect the skin and epithelial integument of the patient.

Patients with lung carcinoma experience the following syndromes:

• hypertrichosis – overgrowth hair all over the body;
• dermatomyositis – inflammatory pathology connective tissue;
• acanthosis - roughening of the skin at the site of the lesion;

• hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy - a lesion leading to deformation of bones and joints;
• vasculitis is a secondary inflammation of blood vessels.

Hematological syndromes

Circulatory disorders in patients with cancer develop quite quickly and can appear as early as I-II stages pathology. This is caused by a sharp negative impact carcinoma on the functioning of the hematopoietic organs and disruption of the full functioning of the lungs, which causes oxygen starvation all systems of the human body. Patients with lung cancer exhibit a number of pathological symptoms:

• thrombocytopenic purpura - increased bleeding, leading to the appearance of hemorrhages under the skin;
• anemia;

• amyloidosis – a disorder of protein metabolism;
• hypercoagulation – increased blood clotting function;
• leukemoid reaction - various changes in the leukocyte formula.

Neurological syndromes

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes develop in connection with damage to the central or peripheral nervous system. They arise due to trophic disturbances or due to the growth of metastases in the spinal cord or brain, which is quite often observed in pulmonary carcinomatosis. Patients experience the following disorders:

• peripheral neuropathy - lesion peripheral nerves leading to impaired mobility;
• Lampert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome – muscle weakness and atrophy;
• necrotizing myelopathy - necrosis of the department spinal cord, leading to paralysis;
• cerebral encephalopathy – brain damage;
• loss of vision.

Symptoms of stage IV oncology

In rare cases, patients seek medical care only at the stage when oncology turns into carcinomatosis, and the pain becomes unbearable. Symptoms at this stage largely depend on the spread of metastases throughout the body. Today, stage IV lung cancer is extremely difficult to treat, so it is necessary to contact a specialist when the first alarming signs appear.

Attention! Carcinomatosis is multiple metastasis in cancer. With carcinomatosis, any system or the entire patient’s body can be completely affected.

The patient has later stages tumor formation, the following symptoms develop, indicating a disruption in the functioning of various organs and systems:

• debilitating long-lasting coughing attacks;
• secretion of sputum with blood, pus and lung decay products;
• apathy, depression;
• constant drowsiness, impaired cognitive function;
• cachexia, weight loss to critical indicators: 30-50 kg;
• difficulty swallowing, vomiting;
• painful attacks of cephalalgia;
• profuse pulmonary bleeding;
• delirium, impaired consciousness;
• intensive constant pain in the chest area;
• breathing problems, suffocation;
• arrhythmia, disturbance of pulse rate and filling.

Lung cancer presents with a range of different symptoms. The most characteristic alarms pathology is a long-lasting cough with sputum, chest pain and wheezing when breathing. If such signs appear, it is imperative to consult a pulmonologist.

Video - Lung cancer: causes and symptoms

The development of a malignant tumor in the lung, in most cases, begins from the cells of this organ, but there are also situations when malignant cells enter easy way metastasis from another organ that was the primary source of cancer.

Lung damage by a malignant neoplasm is the most common type of cancer that occurs in humans. In addition, it ranks first in mortality among all possible types cancer.

More than 90% of lung tumors appear in the bronchi; they are also called bronchogenic carcinomas. In oncology, they are all classified into: squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.

Another type of cancer onset is alveolar carcinoma, which appears in the alveoli (air sacs of the organ). The least common are: bronchial adenoma, chondromatous hamartoma and sarcoma.

The lungs are among the organs that most often succumb to metastasis. Metastatic lung cancer can occur due to advanced stages breast, colon, prostate, kidney cancer, thyroid gland and many other organs.

Causes

The main cause of mutation normal cells lung is considered bad habit– smoking. According to statistics, about 80% of cancer patients diagnosed with lung cancer are smokers, and most of them are already long-term smokers. How more people smokes cigarettes a day, the higher his chances of developing a malignant tumor in the lung.

Much less frequently, about 10-15% of all cases occur at work, in conditions of working with hazardous substances. The following are considered particularly dangerous: work in asbestos and rubber production, contact with radiation, heavy metals, ethers, work in the mining industry, etc.

Attribute the condition to the causes of lung cancer development external environment difficult, since the air in the apartment can cause more harm than street air. In some cases, cells may acquire malignant properties due to availability chronic diseases or inflammation.

The presence of any symptoms in a person will depend on the type of tumor, its location and stage of progression.

The main symptom is considered persistent cough, but this symptom is not specific, as it is typical for many diseases respiratory system. People should be puzzled by a cough, which over time becomes more annoying and frequent, and the sputum that is released after it is streaked with blood. If the neoplasm has damaged blood vessels, there is a high risk that bleeding will begin.

The active development of a tumor and an increase in its size often occurs with the appearance of hoarseness, due to a narrowing of the airway lumen. If the tumor covers the entire lumen of the bronchus, the patient may experience collapse of the part of the organ that was associated with it; this complication is called atelectasis.

An equally complex consequence of cancer is the development of pneumonia. Pneumonia is always accompanied by severe hyperthermia, cough and painful sensations in the chest area. If the tumor damages the pleura, the patient will constantly feel pain in the chest.

A little later, they begin to appear general symptoms which consist of: loss of appetite or its decrease, rapid weight loss, constant weakness and fatigue. Often, a malignant tumor in the lung causes fluid to accumulate around itself, which certainly leads to shortness of breath, lack of oxygen in the body and problems with the functioning of the heart.

If the growth of a malignant neoplasm causes damage to the nerve pathways that pass in the neck, the patient may experience neuralgic symptoms: ptosis upper eyelid, constriction of one pupil, sunken eye or change in sensitivity of one part of the face. The simultaneous manifestation of these symptoms is called Horner's syndrome in medicine. Tumors of the upper lobe of the lung can grow into the nerve pathways of the arm, which can cause pain, numbness or muscle hypotonicity.

A tumor that is located near the esophagus can grow into it over time, or it can simply grow next to it until it causes compression. Such a complication can cause difficulty swallowing, or the formation of an anastomosis between the esophagus and bronchi. With this course of the disease, after swallowing the patient experiences symptoms in the form of a severe cough, as food and water enter the lungs through the anastomosis.

Severe consequences can be caused by tumor growth in the heart, which causes symptoms such as arrhythmia, cardiomegaly, or fluid accumulation in the pericardial cavity. Often, the tumor damages blood vessels, and metastases can spread to the superior vena cava (one of the largest veins in the chest). If there is a blockage in it, this becomes the cause stagnation in many veins of the body. Symptomatically, it is noticeable by swollen chest veins. The veins of the face, neck, and chest also swell and become cyanotic. The patient also develops headaches, shortness of breath, blurred vision, and constant fatigue.

When lung cancer reaches stage 3-4, metastasis to distant organs begins. Through the bloodstream or lymph flow, malignant cells spread throughout the body, affecting organs such as the liver, brain, bones and many others. Symptomatically, this begins to manifest itself as dysfunction of the organ that has been affected by metastases.

A doctor may suspect the presence of lung cancer when a person (especially if he smokes) complains of a prolonged and worsening cough, which appears in conjunction with other symptoms described above. In some cases, even without the presence clear signs, a fluorographic image, which every person should undergo annually, can indicate lung cancer.

Chest X-ray is a good method for diagnosing tumors in the lungs, but it is difficult to see small nodes. If an area of ​​darkening is noticeable on an x-ray, this does not always mean the presence of a formation; it may be an area of ​​fibrosis that has arisen against the background of another pathology. To confirm his suspicions, the doctor may prescribe additional diagnostic procedures. Usually, the patient needs to donate materials for microscopic examination(biopsy), it can be obtained using bronchoscopy. If the tumor has formed deep in the lung, the doctor can perform a puncture with a needle under CT guidance. In the most severe cases, the biopsy is taken using an operation called thoracotomy.

More modern diagnostic methods, such as CT or MRI, can detect tumors that may be missed on plain x-rays. In addition, a CT scan allows you to examine the formation more carefully, rotate it, enlarge it, and evaluate the condition of the lymph nodes. CT scanning of other organs allows us to determine the presence of metastases in them, which is also a very important point in diagnosis and further treatment.

Oncologists categorize malignant tumors based on their size and extent of spread. The stage of the pathology present will depend on these indicators, thanks to which doctors can make some predictions about future life person.

Doctors remove benign bronchial tumors using surgical intervention, since they block the bronchi and can degenerate into malignant ones. Sometimes, oncologists cannot accurately determine the type of cells in a tumor until they remove the tumor and examine it under a microscope.

Those tumors that do not extend beyond the lung (the only exception is small cell carcinoma) are amenable to surgery. But the statistics are that about 30-40% of tumors are operable, but such treatment does not guarantee a complete cure. 30-40% of patients who have had an isolated tumor with a slow growth rate removed have a good prognosis and live about 5 more years. Doctors advise such people to visit the doctor more often, as there is a chance of relapse (10-15%). This indicator much higher in those people who continue to smoke after treatment.

When choosing a treatment plan, namely the extent of the operation, doctors conduct a pulmonary function test to identify possible problems in the functioning of the organ after surgery. If the results of the study are negative, surgery is contraindicated. The volume of the part of the lung to be removed is selected by surgeons during the operation; it can range from a small segment to whole lung(right or left).

In some cases, a tumor that has metastasized from another organ is removed first in the main focus, and then in the lung itself. Such an operation is performed infrequently, since doctors’ forecasts for life within 5 years do not exceed 10%.

There are many contraindications to surgery; it can be heart pathology or chronic diseases lungs and the presence of many distant metastases, etc. IN similar cases Doctors prescribe radiation to the patient.

Radiation therapy has a negative effect on malignant cells, destroying them and reducing the rate of division. In inoperable running forms lung cancer, it can alleviate general state patient, relieving bone pain, obstruction in the superior vena cava and much more. The negative side of radiation is the risk of developing inflammatory process in healthy tissues (radiation pneumonia).

The use of chemotherapy to treat lung cancer often does not have the desired effect, except for small cell cancer. Because of small cell carcinoma It almost always spreads to distant parts of the body; surgery for its treatment is ineffective, but chemotherapy is excellent. For about 3 out of 10 patients, this therapy helps prolong life.

A large number of cancer patients report serious deterioration in their general condition, regardless of whether they undergo therapy or not. Some patients whose lung cancer has already reached stages 3-4 have such forms of shortness of breath and pain syndrome that they cannot tolerate them without the use of narcotic drugs. In moderate doses, narcotic drugs can significantly help a sick person alleviate his condition.

It is difficult to say exactly how long people diagnosed with lung cancer live, but doctors can give estimated figures based on statistics on five-year survival rates among patients. No less important points are: the general condition of the patient, age, presence of concomitant pathologies and type of cancer.

How long do they live at stage 1?

If initial stage was diagnosed on time, and the patient was prescribed necessary treatment, the chances of survival within five years are 60-70%.

How long do people live at stage 2?

During this stage, the tumor is already of decent size, and the first metastases may appear. The survival rate is exactly 40-55%.

How long do people live at stage 3?

The tumor is already more than 7 centimeters in diameter, the pleura and lymph nodes are being affected. Chances of life 20-25%;

How long do people live at stage 4?

Pathology has taken on its own extreme development (terminal stage). Metastases have spread to many organs, and a lot of fluid accumulates around the heart and in the lungs themselves. This stage has the most disappointing forecasts 2-12%.

Video on the topic